TechCentral has learnt exclusively that free-to-air broadcaster e.tv has filed an urgent application at the high court in Pretoria seeking to stop Malatsi from switching off analogue broadcasts on 31 March 2025 as planned.
"This is an urgent application for an interim interdict preventing the minister from switching off analogue broadcasting on 31 March," said e.tv executive director Sergio Lee in the broadcaster's founding affidavit, which TechCentral has read. The papers were filed on 24 January.
"Around 12 million people are reliant on analogue signals to receive television broadcasts because they cannot afford satellite or other forms of digital broadcasting. The analogue switch-off - if not postponed - will leave millions of people without access to television," Lee said.
E.tv is the first applicant, while media watchdogs Media Monitoring Africa and SOS Support Public Broadcasting Coalition are listed in the court papers as the second and third applicants. Apart from Malatsi, respondents include President Cyril Ramaphosa, broadcast signal distributor Sentech, communications regulator Icasa, the SABC and number of regional community TV stations.
Lee said in his affidavit that Malatsi was guilty of making the same mistake as Ntshavheni: not consulting industry stakeholders before setting the 31 March deadline.